There have been nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health there says it brings the total number of cases in the North to 29.

As of last night, there were 70 confirmed cases in the Republic - with the new figures from the North bringing the total on the whole island to 99.

In a statement, the Northern Ireland Department of Health said: "The Public Health Agency is currently establishing if any of the new cases fall into the category of community transmission.

"A total of 321 tests have been completed in N Ireland, in cases where people met the case definition for suspected coronavirus.

"A significant number of further tests have been carried out for surveillance and clinical purposes – for example for patients in intensive care and other hospital settings with respiratory symptoms."

Health Minister Robin Swann said the COVID-19 situation means other health service activity will have to be "significantly curtailed" to deal with coronavirus patients.

Oatient appointments, day cases, inpatient and diagnostic work is set to be scaled back over the coming days and weeks.

Mr Swann said: “I want to be totally frank with the public about the scale of the challenge heading our way.

"Health services across the globe are coming under severe pressure. Ours is no different."

'Schools should be closed'

Meanwhile, the rising number of cases in Northern Ireland earlier led Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill to earlier call for the closure of schools and universities.

While those measures have been implemented in the Republic, the British government and Northern Ireland Executive have yet to move towards large-scale closures.

In a statement today, Ms O'Neill said action should be taken now.

The Sinn Féin deputy leader said: "To protect the public, schools and colleges should now be closed.